New Delhi [India], December 10 (ANI): India’s legendary athlete PT Usha was on Saturday elected unopposed as the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
The 58-year-old is also the first Olympian and the first international medallist to hold the top post in 95-year-old history of IOA.
PT Usha’s election brings an end to a long-drawn crisis in the faction-ridden IOA which was warned of a possible suspension by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) if elections were not held this month.
Ajay Patel of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) was unanimously elected senior vice-president. Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang and Rowing Federation of India President Rajlaxmi Singh Deo were elected as vice presidents. Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF) president Sahdev Yadav was elected treasurer. All India Football Federation (AIFF) president and former goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey was elected unopposed as the joint secretary (male).
Alaknanda Ashok of the Badminton Association of India (BAI) was elected as joint secretary (female) leaving behind other candidates Shalini Thakur Chawla and Suman Kaushik.
Olympic medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and archer Dola Banerjee are in the executive council as male and female representatives of the eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM). Legendary boxer MC Mary Kom and veteran table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal are also part of the executive council by virtue of being president and vice president of the Athletes Commission.
Bhupender Singh Bajwa, Amitabh Sharma, Harpal Singh and Rohit Rajpal were also elected to the executive council. (ANI)
“She has been towering inspiration to millions”: Nita Ambani hails PT Usha’s election as IOA president
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], December 10 (ANI): Nita Ambani, International Olympic Committee (IOC) member from India and Founder Chairperson, Reliance Foundation, on Saturday congratulated PT Usha on becoming the new president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). She described PT Usha’s election as a testament to the growing inclusivity in Indian sports and how girls and women continue to lead India’s charge towards becoming a global sports nation.
One of India’s most successful athletes and a flag-bearer of Indian sports globally, PT Usha was elected as president of IOA on Saturday along with a new executive council. She is the first woman president of IOA. Nita Ambani said PT Usha has been a towering inspiration to millions as an athlete.
“It gives me immense joy to welcome PT Usha as the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association. I remember watching her with pride as she represented our country and won laurels for India. She has been a towering inspiration to millions as an athlete, and I am sure she will shine in this new role as well. Our women athletes have led the charge in making India a global sporting powerhouse, and I’m delighted to see so many women representatives now in IOA‘s executive council,” Nita Ambani said.
“I congratulate all newly elected IOA members and look forward to partnering with them. This is a landmark moment for Indian sport and a giant leap forward in strengthening the Olympic movement in our country,” she added.
A release said Nita Ambani has been a strong endorser of making India a multi-sport nation with an ‘athlete first’ policy and the importance of the contribution by women both on and off the field.
It said Reliance Foundation has been working extensively towards the holistic development of athletes to support them with 360-degree initiatives, including providing world-class sporting facilities, coaching and best-in-class assistance in sports science and medicine.
The elections were held as part of IOA‘s newly amended constitution which was presented to the IOA general body in a special general meeting on November 10. Among its amendments are steps to introduce greater athlete representation with eight sportspersons of outstanding merit (SOMs) and greater representation for women in various administrative and voting positions.
Nita Ambani lauded the amendments and the greater representation of athletes and women in the newly-amended IOA constitution. (ANI)
Never thought I would be IOA chief: PT Usha after unopposed election to top post
New Delhi [India], December 11 (ANI): Legendary athlete PT Usha said on Saturday that she never thought that she would be the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and that she wants the new executive council to be a “model team.” India’s legendary athlete PT Usha was on Saturday elected unopposed as the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
“Thanks everyone, this new team should be a model team. I am very happy that all the sportspersons are in the executive committee. I lived 13 years of my life without sports. After that, I was into sports as a player, coach and administrator. But I never thought I would be the IOA chief. This is all because of my sport,” said Usha in a press conference. She extended her thanks to the Sportspersons of Merit of the new Athletes Commission of IOA for supporting her and pushing her to file the nomination for the top post in the body. “Me and my team will do our best for the betterment of our sports, to keep our tricolour flying high in the international arena. We would like to also know the opinions of associations, athletes and coaches,” said Usha.
The legendary athlete said she wants to make IOA an accessible body for associations and athletes, who can share their issues with the top sports body, which will work hard for its rectification.
The 58-year-old is also the first Olympian and the first international medallist to hold the top post in 95-year-old history of IOA.
PT Usha’s election brings an end to a long-drawn crisis in the faction-ridden IOA which was warned of a possible suspension by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) if elections were not held this month. (ANI)
